The dual-international was the subject of ignominy and ridicule. He knows he messed up, and then some. He didn’t ask for sympathy, and whilst the matter was deemed to be ‘totally out of character’, no excuses were offered by himself or his hometown employees.

Fined by the Warriors, and transfer-listed, Tomkins was soon on the move and it was Hull KR who gave him the chance to resume his Super League career with immediate effect.

Helping the Robins preserve their top-flight status, the forward commanded respect from the minute he walked through the KCOM Craven Park doors and that translated with performances on the pitch.

A change not only in lifestyle but location – after leaving Wigan and upping sticks to East Yorkshire - has helped the 31-year-old top-flight, Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge winner to take tentative steps into repairing his reputation, and last week, he received an accolade that puts him amongst several greats in red and white.

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Joel Tomkins signs for Hull KR

As voted for by his Rovers peers, he replaced Shaun Lunt as KR’s new captain for 2019, just six weeks after penning a long-term deal with the club. Tomkins’ fortunes have changed dramatically, on the face of things, when the picture could well have been painted differently had Rovers not offered him that lifeline last June.

Coach Tim Sheens needed no convincing back then, and even more so now, that the back-rower had the leadership qualities in him to drive Rovers up the ladder this term.

“The players voted him in, we always have a vote. It then goes through the coaching staff and the administration and everyone was in favour of Joel, just like they was with Lunty over the last two years,” said Sheens, who has coached some of the game’s greatest captains in Johnathon Thurston and Darren Lockyer, to name a few.

“Danny (McGuire) was in there too, but Joel easily polled the best and we see him here in the long-term. He’s moved into the area, signed a long contract.

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“Danny and Lunty will always be leaders in their own regard but Joel is here for another three years and Danny will do his bit before he retires. He wants to enjoy his footy this year but Joel was not second choice in any shape or form, he was first pick.

“He’s a natural leader, a ‘come and follow me’ leader. I don’t like traffic cop captains, who tell people what to do. (The players) don’t need to be told what to do.

“He leads by example at training, he’s a tough kid – works hard, trains hard and plays hard. He demands that from himself and I want that from the boys. I want us to be a tougher, stronger unit this year and I see Joel as a natural leader in that regard.”

Hull KR's Joel Tomkins

Part of Wigan’s leadership group, which acted as understudies to their long-standing skipper Sean O’Loughlin, Tomkins found himself as one of the Warriors’ go-to men.

Wigan Evening Post reporter Phil Wilkinson, who documented Tomkins’ rise up the ranks at the DW Stadium ever since his March 2005 debut against Widnes Vikings, is unsurprised that the back-rower has been given such a prestigious role at the Robins.

“I was pleased to see Joel appointed as captain. The only part that may have surprised me was, given his age and position, I can’t see him playing 80 minutes each week,” Wilkinson told Hull Live.

“But aside from that, not a shock at all - when he was at Wigan, Joel was one of the players who drove the standards.

Joel Tomkins during his time at Wigan

“I remember when Michael Maguire came in before the 2010 campaign, Joel was one of the names which kept cropping up as someone who was flying in training. He’d been a good player until then, but he relished the discipline and hard work Madge brought in and, of course, reaped the rewards with his form/England/cross code move.

“He’s not as lively as his brother Sam, but he has that same competitive streak and that same level of calmness under pressure - it was no surprise that, when he returned, Shaun Wane made him a part of his leadership team.”

Not only held in high regard by his boss Sheens, Tomkins’ team-mates have great words also on his appointment, with winger Ryan Shaw admitting the back-rower was his top pick.

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Hull KR 2019 season

“The way he is… He’s come from Wigan and brought over the things that they do. They’re a very tough team and are pretty ruthless. We needed that, I think we were a bit soft all around the club so he’s made us that little bit tougher, off the field too.

"He’s bringing good philosophies to the young lads so hopefully they can carry that on through.

New signing Josh Drinkwater, less than two weeks in the presence of Tomkins, has also witnessed a determined figure within the KR squad get to work in his new-found job.